Norwegian axing long-haul services from two Nordic capitals

Scandinavian budget carrier Norwegian is axing several transatlantic and Asian routes as a consequence of low demand and continuing problems with Rolls-Royce Trent engines on its Boeing 787s.

Scandinavian budget carrier Norwegian is axing several transatlantic and Asian routes as a consequence of low demand and continuing problems with Rolls-Royce Trent engines on its Boeing 787s.

It is halting services to the USA from both Copenhagen and Stockholm, although it will maintain transatlantic operations from Norway.

Norwegian adds that it will also discontinue flights to Thailand from the Danish and Swedish capitals.

It says it has “thoroughly” reviewed its long-haul network over the past few months, and is taking the action as a result of market demand combined with the “operational challenges” posed by the 787 engines.

Long-haul services from Stockholm and Copenhagen will be stopped from 29 March next year.

Services from Oslo to US destinations will continue. The Oslo-Bangkok route will be restored in summer 2020, and the airline is still considering whether to operate Oslo-Bangkok and Oslo-Krabi next winter.

Norwegian points out that it offers 50 routes between Europe and the USA and is experiencing “high demand” for transatlantic flights from cities including London, Paris and Barcelona, and will raise frequencies on several of these connections.

“We see that the long-haul market to and from Scandinavia is small, compared with large cities such as New York, London, Los Angeles, Paris and Rome,” says senior vice-president, commercial, Matthew Wood.

“Scandinavia is not large enough to maintain intercontinental flights from Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen.”

Wood also states that the situation is complicated by the enforced temporary withdrawal from service of 787s affected by Trent 1000 engine problems.

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